6. The History and Study of Western Folklore

Western folklore or European folklore refers to the folklore of the western world, particularly when discussed comparatively. In other words, no single European culture, but nevertheless the common history of Christendom during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period has produced a number of traditions shared in many European regional and ethnic cultures.

（1）Europe

This particularly involves average traditions derived from Christian mythology, i. e. certain commonalities in the celebration of Christmas, such as the vari-ous Christmas gift-bringers, or customs associated with All Souls' Day. In addition, there are certain apotropaic practices or gestures adopted in large parts of Europe, say the fingers crossed gesture or the knocking on wood.

The culture of folk heritage, including mythology, Hellenistic religion and cultic or magical practice was greatly influential on the formative phase of Christianity, and serves as the foundation in the traditions of all territories formerly ruled by the Roman Empire, and by extension in those areas reached by Christianization during the Middle Ages, encompassing all of Europe, and much of the Middle East and North Africa. Though inherited from Roman folk beliefs, these conventions were combined with local traditions, especially Slavic, Germanic and Celtic. Many folk traditions also originated by contact with the Islamic world, especially in the Balkans and in the Iberian peninsula, which were ruled by Islamic empires before being reconquered（in the case of the Balkans, partially）by Christian forces, giving rise to visible result of cultural contact. For example, the typical England Morris Dance is actually an adaptation of the“moorish”dances of the late medieval period. Meanwhile, the results were related but regionally distinct as folk traditions existed in Europe on the eve of the Early Modern period. In modern times, and particularly since the 19th century, there has been a lot of crosspollination between these traditions, often by the detour of American folklore.

（2）America

Folk conventions that have developed on the North American continent contribute to American folklore since the arrival of Europeans in the 16th century. While it contains largely in the way of Native American tradition, it should not be confused with the tribal beliefs of any community of native people.

Native American culture is abundant in myths and legends that were adopted in the explanation of mysterious natural phenomena, the most common myths being the creation myths which tell stories to explain the formation of the earth. Others include interpretations about the constellations, sun, moon, seasons, animals and weather. This is the root of their culture, one of the ways that many tribes kept their cultures alive; it was not merely a collection of stories, but of their beliefs, their ways, and their lives. The kinds of the stories are many. Some are called“hero stories”, stories of immortalized great men who lived at one time and revered by common people. Some are“trickster stories”concerning the different trickster figures of the tribes. There are tales that are merely warnings to warn people against doing something that may bring harm in some way. Many of these tales have morals or some form of belief that is being passed down from generations since this is how the things were remembered.

Besides, legends and tall tales are told in the founding of the United States. Many stories have evolved since the founding long ago to become a part of America's folklore and cultural awareness, and nonnative American folklore especially includes any narrative which makes great contribution to the shaping of American values and belief systems. The veracity of the narratives does not really matter therefore these stories may be true or may be false.

Christopher Columbus, an important figure in the pantheon of American myth, was viewed as symbolic hero in terms of Native American folk, with his status being representative of the self-perception of the American society, being chosen as hero instead of his own accomplishments. But all in all, being separated from Britain and its cultural icons, America Folklore was left without history or heroes and it was often based on a shared sense of their social selves.